Thursday, June 4, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (PDT)

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Professor. Author. “Master" Social Worker.

In an evening filled with stories of conflict, hope and redemption, join Jorja Leap as she introduces the extraordinary men who came together in Jordan Downs through the group Project Fatherhood. She will briefly trace the unusual blend of forces — from Los Angeles City government, the Children's Institute, and a group of former gang members, as well as the UCLA Luskin School — who all pulled together to create this extraordinary and life changing organization. Elder Michael “Big Mike” Cummings, the men of Project Fatherhood and their sons — the youth of Watts — will join us at UCLA on June 4th to discuss their lives, their dreams and their dedication to healing and rebuilding the Watts community. A lively group discussion will culminate in a question and answer session.

The book Project Fatherhood follows the lives of the men, who meet each week as they struggle with the pain of their own losses, the chronic pressures of poverty and unemployment, and the unquenchable desire to do better and provide more for the next generation. Through immersion into the lived experiences of those working to overcome their circumstances, Jorja Leap provides not only dramatic stories of fathers trying to do the right thing but a larger sociological portrait of how institutional injustices become manifest in the lives of ordinary people. The group’s development over time demonstrates real-life movement toward solutions as the men find support in each other and in their shared goal of healing their families and keeping their children out of the “cradle-to-prison pipeline.”

Copies of the book will be on sale — all proceeds from its sale will go directly to support Project Fatherhood.